


The Return

by Elemental_sorceress1



Series: The adventures of Marinette Stone [8]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bullying, Evil Lila Rossi, F/M, Gen, Lila Rossi Bashing, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-23 06:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23940430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elemental_sorceress1/pseuds/Elemental_sorceress1
Summary: A familiar face makes an unexpected return in Marinette's life. What will happen next? Will Marinette's friends turn against her?Part 8 of The Adventures of Marinette Stone
Series: The adventures of Marinette Stone [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653955
Comments: 103
Kudos: 548





	1. A familar face

Marinette hummed as she dug through her bag looking for her pencil as she waited for class to start, Lucien sat beside her, one cheek resting against the palm of his hand. Lucien was always bored in the minutes before class started.

The teacher finally entered, followed by a very familiar face and Marinette felt her stomach twist itself into knots. Her chest grew tight and her breath came in rapid unsteady gasps, she drew her legs up and curled into herself shaking as her hands gripped her hair.

Lila Rossi was in her school, in her class smiling like a shark who smelled blood, her olive-colored eyes staring straight at Marinette. She greeted the class in a sickeningly sweet voice, the same voice she had used to turn all of Marinette's friends against her.

Marinette closed her eyes against the tears that welled up, she had finally begun to heal from everything that had happened at Dupont, she had friends again, and now Lila was going to take everything away from her again.

"Marinette, come on breathe," Lucien's voice said, but it sounded distant. Marinette's shaking only worsened, fingers tearing out clumps of her hair.

"It's alright Mari, Lucien is going to take you to the nurse, you're safe sweetie" Fleur's voice was soothing and calm, but it didn't help. She was barely aware of strong hands on her own, gently guiding her hands lose from her hair and helping her stand.

The next thing Marinette was aware of was strong arms wrapped around her, her nose buried in a soft shirt that smelled of sweat and freshly baked bread and vanilla. The scent was familiar, she had known that scent since she was a baby. That scent meant safety, and, home, and love. Only one person smelled like that, her Uncle Tom, Auntie Sabine smelled similar only with a hint of cinnamon added.

"Uncle Tom?" Marinette asked, looking up at the large man that held her in confusion.

"You had a panic attack, but you're alright now. I'm going to take you home" he explained, her bag was already held in one fist and Marinette nodded. She felt emotionally drained and didn't want to try to get through the day. She wanted to go home, where Auntie Sabine would make her tea and wrap her in a fluffy blanket, and Uncle tom would feed her fresh chocolate croissants still warm from the oven.

XXX

Auntie Sabine gathered her into a hug as soon as the two were inside, petting her hair and kissing her forehead while wiping gently at the tear tracks on her cheeks. Uncle Tom was still behind her, one comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Come on Sweetheart, let's get you upstairs and I'll make you a cup of tea" Auntie Sabine told her and gently began to lead her into the back of the bakery to the stairs into the apartment, her arms wrapped around the teen.

Once Marinette was sitting on the couch wrapped in a pink over-sized fluffy blanket with a cup of warm chamomile tea, Auntie Sabine went back down to the bakery, promising to check on her soon. Uncle Tom appeared five minutes later, holding a plate piled with chocolate croissants. The man sat them on the table in front of her, kissing the top of her head and telling her to come down if she needed anything before he left.

Marinette curled up against the arm of the couch, her blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she stared at the blank screen of the TV. The memories of her former friends turning their backs on her playing out in her head.

It had started out small, pushing her to the back of the class, claiming to be busy if she tried to make plans with them. Then it gradually grew, not inviting her to activities like the class all going to the zoo. Then came the glares and whispers behind her back that they didn't think she heard or saw. And eventually, the names and nasty looks were no longer hidden behind her back. They called her names to her face, sent her mean texts about whatever Lila had claimed she'd done. She hadn't told her father everything, not even Adrien knew everything that had happened. 

He didn't know that Kim had purposely tripped her in the hall, didn't know that Alya had purposely bumped into the table to send Nathaniel's thermos of hot soup into her lap at lunch one day. Didn't know about Alya shoving her down the stairs, or the bruises and scratches on her back from being shoved into the brick wall. Didn't know that Lila had pulled her hair and left bruises on her arms and face. 

The students at Dupont knew that Lila was a liar now, but her new school didn't. Her new friends knew that she'd been bullied but she had never told them everything. She knew Lila would continue where she had left off.

What if Lila turned the teachers and her whole class against her again, what if she lost the new friends she had made? She didn't want to go back to being alone. Marinette wrapped her arms around herself as she started crying again.

She grabbed her phone and texted the one person who had believed her from the start, Adrien would be out of school soon and she needed him. He had tried to stand up for her, but it hadn't worked and Marinette told him to stop speaking out, afraid that he would lose his friends the same as she had lost hers. 

Adrien had been there whenever she needed him, waking up in the middle of the night when she called him crying after nightmares. Holding her hand under their desk, offering his silent support when the class started on her. Holding her as she cried about the friends she had lost.

Adrien meant comfort and warmth and support, and she needed him to hold her, needed to tell him what happened. Her phone dinged, a message from Adrien promising to come over after school. Marinette curled into a ball on the couch, arms wrapped around herself as she waited for Adrien to arrive.

XXX

"Mari, what's wrong?" Adrien asked as soon as he entered the apartment, he made his way over to the couch kneeling on the floor in front of her. He grabbed her hands in his own and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles.

"Lila showed up in my class this morning, she's going to be a new student. I panicked and Uncle Tom brought me home. I'm terrified that she'll turn everyone against me again" Marinette replied, her voice soft and breathing shaky.

"Her mom knows she's a liar now, I'm sure she would have warned the school, and even if she didn't, the school would have been told why she'd been expelled from her last school. If she tries to bully you again, you tell your dad. You have me, Juleka, Nathaniel, Kagami, and Chloe on your side, no matter what happens" Adrien told her.

"But what if she turns the teachers and principal against me?" Marinette asked.

"If she does you tell your dad, and you tell us. Chloe will march into that school with both of her parent's legal teams following behind her. I'll get my mom to tear them apart, and Kagami will get her mom to do the same, and then join Chloe with one of her swords in hand" Adrien said, sitting on the couch beside her and hugging her tightly.

"You think your dad would let me borrow Fang for a little bit, maybe like an hour?" Adrien asked after a few minutes of silence, Marinette laughed and wiped at her eyes.

"He offered to have Fang eat her once, so honestly he probably would" Marinette replied with a small smile, Adrien smiled brightly back at her.

Lila had made a return into Marinette's life, and while she was scared that the girl would try to ruin her life again, and take her friends from her again, she had people that were ready to stand up for her and fight back. She had amazing friends, and she had her father and her family, Lila couldn't take them from her.


	2. Liar Liar

Lila started her lies immediately, well Marinette didn't know if the girl had lied the day before and she was afraid to ask in case her new friends claimed she was just jealous like Alya had. The first sentence out of Lila's mouth that day was a lie, said as soon as the teacher began calling attendance.

"Oh, I really hate to cause trouble Ma'am, but I need to be in the front. I have cataracts and I just can't see the board from the back. I'm sure Marinette wouldn't mind switching seats with me" Lila said as she batted her eyelashes. 

Marinette ducked her head and grabbed her bag, prepared to bite her tongue, and move, despite the fact that she had come to school early to claim a good seat at the front of the class at the start of the year. It was starting all over again.

"There is nothing in your file about vision problems Ms. Rossi," the teacher said, Lila's predatory smile fell for a brief second before it was right back on her face.

"My mother didn't think it was really necessary to put in my file since I could just tell my teachers" Lila replied.

"If that's the case then I think we need to go to the principal's office and have a talk with your mother, we can't just make special accommodations on the word of a student," the teacher said, Lila paled slightly.

"Oh, that's really not needed. My mother is so busy, she's a diplomat at the embassy you see and she can't be bothered. I'll be fine if I was in the front of the class" Lila's eyes watered with crocodile tears, the teacher looked unimpressed.

"If her daughter's school calling is considered a bother then I have to wonder how important your needs are to your mother. Now come along Ms. Rossi" the teacher said, Lila finally stood and left the room, gaze firmly on the floor, the teacher followed.

"Honestly, she expected a teacher to believe that" Lucien scoffed once the door shut behind the two, the rest of the class nodded in agreement.

"Ms. Bustier did," Marinette said under her breath, apparently it wasn't as quiet as she'd thought since Charlotte and Jean whirled around to face her from their desk in front of Marinette's and Lucien's. Fleur and Noel looked at her from their desk across from her, Jonah stood from his seat behind Lucien, and Lucien turned his entire body to face her.

"Mari, you know her?" Charlotte asked, looking worried, probably at the knowledge that Marinette knew Lila from Dupont. They knew that Marinette had started being bullied after a new student started telling the class lies and Marinette had tried calling them out.

"She's the one who bullied you" Fleur gasped, putting the pieces together, both Fleur and Noel were out of their seats in seconds and hugging her. Lucien and Charlotte looked furious, Jean leaned forward and grabbed her hand, and Jonah looked as though he was plotting murder.

"You had an attack yesterday right after she walked in, she's what caused it," Lucien said, understanding lighting up in his dark eyes before he joined Fleur and Noel in their cuddling of Marinette.

"Oh Mari, you must have been so worried that we wouldn't believe you" Charlotte breathed, her, Jean, and Jonah joined the pile. Marinette could feel Noel's tears against her neck, but she was already hiding her own in Lucien's neck.

"We won't let her do that again Marinette" Jonah promised as the six of them drew away from her, the rest nodded, and Noel handed Marinette a tissue.

The teacher and Lila returned shortly after, the teacher said nothing simply pointed to the back where Lila's seat was. Lila sat with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at the board in the front of the room.

XXX

During the physical hour that the school had to make sure the students stayed active, Lila tried to lie once again. The teacher had just told them that they were going to jog around the yard when Lila claimed she'd injured her ankle helping an old lady cross the street and she couldn't run.

"I need a note from your doctor then," the teacher said, holding his hand out. Lila smiled and handed him a piece of torn notebook paper and took a seat on a low brick wall.

"Ms. Rossi this is not written by a doctor," the man said, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrow at the Italian.

"Oh, my mother misplaced the note from my doctor so she wrote me one instead, surely a note from a parent is good" Lila smiled sweetly.

"If it is a medical condition the rules state that there must be a doctor's note, I'll need to talk to your mother and get the number for your doctor, come along Ms. Rossi," the man said, Lila opened her mouth to argue but the teacher narrowed his eyes and pointed at the door into the school. Lila followed the teacher, looking more like she was being sent to the executioner's block.

"You may talk as you warm up until I return" The teacher called before he closed the door behind him and Lila.

"How did she think a clearly self-written note was going to fly?" Fleur asked.

"Ms. Bustier and Damocles didn't question anything she said" Marinette answered.

"Your last school was awful, I'm glad you're away from there," Charlotte said, Lucien hummed in agreement as he slung an arm over Marinette's shoulders.

XXX

Lila and the teacher reappeared five minutes later, Lila scowling as she started stretching and doing her warm-ups as the teacher called for the other students to begin jogging. When class ended, Lila was forced to remain five extra minutes, to make up for the time she had wasted with her lie.

Marinette's friends surrounded her as they returned to the school, Charlotte glaring back at Lila when the girl glared at Marinette.


	3. Lila's new school

Every school Lila attended she made sure that she ruled, it wasn't hard, people were sheep and she only told them what they wanted to hear. There was always one or two that saw through the stories and tried to out her, but she took care of them. Simply make them look jealous and let out a few tears about how cruel they were and the other students did the rest.

She had been on top at Dupont, the students and even the stupid teachers and principal had been wrapped around her little finger. Maribrat had quickly become the villain, Lila had given her the chance to be her friend but the brat was too much of a goody goody. It wasn't hard to frame her for cheating or stealing her necklace, and the final nail was saying that the dark-haired girl pushed her down the stairs.

It had been ridiculously easy to manipulate the oaf of a principal into expelling Marinette, he didn't even think to check the cameras. Lila grinned as she watched the girl be walked out by her aunt and uncle, head bowed as she tried unsuccessfully to hide her watery eyes.

Then a few days later everything came crashing down, Bustier escorted her to the principal's office where two men and her mother were waiting. She found out quickly that one of the men was Marinette's father and the other was from the school board. The man from the school board yelled at Damocles and Bustier. And then Lila's mother yelled at them, before turning to yell at her daughter.

Lila had been expelled, and as if that wasn't bad enough her parents were being sued for defamation by Jagged Stone. It wasn't her fault Alya posted that stupid story on her blog without checking if it was true.

She'd been grounded for two months, and her mother forced her to attend a stupid workshop for troubled kids for the entire summer. Lila had screamed and thrown a chair when during the summer it came out that Marinette was Jagged Stone's daughter. She'd been grounded for a week for throwing the chair, and a month of her allowance had gone to pay for the hole the chair had left in the wall.

Lila had been surprised but delighted to see Marinette was in her new school when summer came to an end. The girl had basically gone catatonic at the sight of her, Lila had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, the brat was such an attention hog.

Lila vowed that she would finish what she had started at Dupont and destroy Marinette Stone if it was the last thing she did. Trying to get the girl moved to the back had failed, as had her attempt to avoid jogging. Her mother had yelled at her when she got home that night, but that was simply a setback.


	4. Nuisance

Marinette had watched as Lila had tried to sink her claws into Adrien, their class had always cooed about what a cute couple they would make, never seeming to notice or care that Adrien was uncomfortable with the way the girl would always cling to him. 

Adrien had eventually gotten Bustier to allow him to move to the back with Marinette, claiming that he couldn't focus with Lila asking him questions the entire day. The woman only agreed because she feared the wrath of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste if their beloved only child complained about being unable to focus in school.

It seemed that Lila had switched her target to Lucien now that she knew there wasn't any chance she'd get Adrien. Marinette was in the perfect position to watch as Lila pretend to trip and fall into Lucien's chest, her hands coming up to grip his upper arms. Lucien was easily the most popular boy in the school, his personality seemed to draw people to him. He was also considered one of the best looking boys, his towering height, dark hair, and equally dark eyes made him seem mysterious, while his kind and friendly personality made him approachable.

"Oh, thank you ever so much. If you hadn't caught me I would have fallen on the stairs, I could have been seriously hurt" Lila simpered, batting her eyes at Lucien. Lucien simply looked down at her, completely unimpressed with her antics.

"Is there anything I can do to show you my gratitude?" Lila asked, puckering her lips and lowering her lashes in a way she clearly thought was attractive. Lucien pushed her away from him, looking like the very idea of touching her made him physically sick.

Jonah stopped next to Marinette and fake gagged causing Marinette to giggle, Lila apparently heard as she scowled at them. Lucien quickly made his way over to them, looking at them as though they were his saviors.

"I could hardly breathe over there she was wearing so much perfume," Lucien said, his breath was a little wheezy and Marinette frowned turning to face him fully. Lucien's eyes were watery and red.

"Lucien you need to go to the nurse, Jonah go with him" Marinette ordered, Jonah gave her a salute and grabbed Lucien's arm leading him away. Marinette had learned early on in their friendship that Lucien was allergic to perfume, cologne, basically, any type of body spray bothered him. 

Once the two boys were gone, Marinette ducked behind one of the bushes that lined the entrance of the school, avoiding Lila's glare as she waited for the other three members of the group to arrive.

Noel announced her presence by pouncing on Marinette in a hug, Charlotte and Jean followed behind, and shortly after Fleur appeared. Marinette quickly explained what had happened when Charlotte asked if she had seen Lucien. Lucien was always the first one at school as he lived the closest.

"Lucien is allergic to perfume if you're going to make a nuisance of yourself at least try not to kill anyone while you're at it," Fleur told Lila, ignoring the girl's angry gasp as they made their way past her and into the school.

XXX

The group was extra protective of Lucien that day, while his allergy was under control now his nose and eyes were still a little watery prompting Noel to give him the three packs of tissues she had in her purse. Fleur had 'accidentally' sprayed Lila with the sink in science, forcing the girl to have to call her mother for a change of clothes, it lessened the cloud of perfume around her considerably and Lucien breathed easier during school. Charlotte spent the entire day glaring at Lila.

XXX

Lila shed crocodile tears and simpered out apologies the next day, her bottom lip quivering as she told Lucien she hadn't meant to put so much perfume on but she had dropped the bottle and broken it, causing her to dump the entire thing all over herself. 

Nobody had believed her, she was wearing the same perfume as she had the day before, only not as much of it. Charlotte pushed herself in front of Lucien when Lila went to touch him, looking ready to tear Lila's hand off if she continued.

"I really am terribly sorry, there must be some way I can make it up to you," Lila said, she was smart enough to pull her hand back though.

"We're going to be late," Lucien said, ignoring Lila entirely as he herded the group past the Italian and into the school.

XXX

During lunch Lila once again pretended to trip as she passed their table, sending her tray full of food spilling all over the front of her outfit. Lila turned to look at Marinette, crocodile tears already forming and her bottom lip trembling.

"Marinette, why would you trip me? I thought you would have gotten past your hatred of me by now. I just don't know what I ever did to make you hate me so much" Lila wailed, catching the attention of the other students.

Marinette hugged her arms around herself and kept her eyes on her own lunch, prepared for the students and her friends to start yelling at her. 'How could you do that to poor Lila?!' echoing in her head, the voice sounded just like Alya's.

"Seriously? You're not close enough to the table for her to have tripped you" an unknown voice called out.

"You didn't even trip, you just pretended too!" Fleur added, the hand not holding her own tray on her hip. The commotion seemed to have drawn the attention of a teacher, who had made her way over to stand beside the table.

"What is going on here?" the woman asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Marinette tripped me, she's hated me since I first started at her old school. I had to transfer because she bullied me so much I was afraid to even go to school" Lila told the woman, she forced a few tears to leak out of her eyes.

"That's not true, Marinette transferred here last year because her entire class started bullying her because of Lila. And Marinette didn't trip her, Lila pretended to fall and then blamed her" Lucien said, getting up from his seat.

"Yeah, she wasn't close enough to the table for anyone to trip her" another voice added.

"She lied to try to get out of fitness hour!" a girl with her hair dyed blue said.

"And she said she had vision problems that aren't in her file in Mrs. Blanchet's class" a boy at the same table added.

"Enough! I don't care about the past, did Ms. Stone trip her just now?" the woman asked.

"No!" came a chorus of voices, from Marinette's own table and the tables surrounding them, Marinette finally looked up. She hadn't expected anyone to defend her, her old class outside of her small group of friends had never tried, they were happy to blame her for anything Lila said.

"If Ms. Stone didn't trip you as it seems she didn't, why would you accuse her of it?" the woman asked looking at Lila, who looked slightly panicked.

"I must have tripped over my own feet and thought Marinette did it" Lila replied, Fleur rolled her eyes and Lucien huffed crossing his arms over his chest. Noel hugged Marinette, Jean and Charlotte each reached out to grab one of her hands and Jean gave her a supportive smile.

"If you two have such problems with each other I suggest you stay away from each other," the woman told them Marinette nodded, and Lila did as well when the woman looked at her, but she looked like she had swallowed a lemon as she did so.

"We don't believe anything she says" Noel assured her, the others nodded agreement and smiled at her Marinette returned the smiles with one of her own. She was so happy to have friends like them, they were so much better than her former friends.


	5. Not falling for your lies

Lila grinned when she entered class one day to see the two girls that sat in front of her both wearing shirts with Clara Nightingale's face on them and talking excitedly about the new video the singer had released.

"Oh, are you talking about Clara Nightingale? I know her, we're actually like best friends, Clara is just the sweetest person. I'm sure I could introduce you to her" Lila told them sweetly as she sat in her seat. They looked at her skeptically, she expected them to start asking her questions about what the singer was like in real life as the class at Dupont had.

"If you know her, then what animal was in her newest video?" one of the girls asked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising one eyebrow.

"Her dog, of course, she adores him" Lila replied, Clara Nightingale always talked about her stupid mutt in interviews, and the dog had appeared in the background of two of her videos before.

"It was Fang, Jagged Stone's crocodile. It was a collaboration between the two" the other one said, showing Lila her phone where the video was paused on a shot of the crocodile with its head raised and tail lashing.

Before Lila could say another word Marinette walked in, and the two were out of their seats in seconds, asking the raven-haired girl about the video. Lila growled and clenched her hands into fists, the brat was stealing the attention that should be hers.

XXX

Lila showed up to school the next week with a large bruise expertly applied with makeup and her cheek, a bandage wrapped around her right wrist and a story about how a stranger had shoved her, she was positive that the class would fall all over themselves to help her.

She hadn't expected Marinette to walk in with a cast wrapped around her right arm from wrist to elbow, bruises on her face, a row of stitches peeking above the collar of her shirt under her right collar bone and her dark hair cut short.

"I'm glad to see you recovered from the accident Marinette," the teacher told the petite girl with a smile.

"Thank you, I still have some more healing to do, but the doctor said as long as I'm careful not to overdo it I could return to school" Marinette returned the smile.

"Ma'am, I saw Marinette just yesterday and she wasn't injured at all" Lila said, raising her arm in the air. 'That'll knock her down a peg' Lila thought with a grin.

"Ms. Rossi, Marinette, and her father were involved in a car accident last week, I will not tolerate you telling lies about her when they both could have been seriously hurt," the teacher said, glaring at Lila. The rest of the class turned to glare at her as well, Lucien cut the glare short to stand and help Marinette to her seat beside him. The boy carrying the girl's bag and her books placed them on the desk in front of her.

When class started Lila noticed that Marinette wasn't taking notes, and Lila smiled, this was the perfect way to get the girl in trouble. Mrs. Blanchet had a rule about taking notes in the class.

"Mrs. Blanchet, Marinette isn't taking notes," Lila said, interrupting what the woman was saying, Marinette looked afraid as she kept her gaze on the teacher.

"Marinette's right wrist is broken, Lucien offered to make her copies until her wrist is healed" the woman replied and Lila scowled, now the brat had people doing her work for her.

"But that's not fair, my wrist is sprained and I still have to take notes," Lila said, her bottom lip trembled, surely the teacher would allow Lila to do nothing now as well.

"Your right wrist is bandaged and your left-handed Ms. Rossi, your injury does not impede your ability to take notes, while Marinette's injury does," the teacher told her, looking back at the girl and raising her eyebrow, waiting for Lila to try to argue. Lila kept her mouth shut, she didn't try to argue that. If her mother found out that Lila was faking injuries again, she would ground her for the rest of the year, and Lila had plans.


	6. The Thief

So far Lila's attempts to turn everyone against Matinette had failed, her friends continued to stay beside her, often defending her from whatever Lila said. Lila was beginning to get frustrated, there had to be some way to turn them against the girl.

Lila saw the perfect chance one day, Fleur had worn a ring that looked like it was expensive, it had a gold band, a round diamond in the center surrounded by a circle of emeralds, it was beautiful and Lila couldn't help the smile on her face as the plan formed in her mind. 

Her chance presented itself during fitness hour, Fleur placed the ring into a little box and set it down on the bench next to the small collection of stuff belonging to her friends. Under the pretense of putting her own stuff down, Lila put the little box in Marinette's bag with a satisfied smirk. She couldn't wait to watch the fall out when Fleur thought that sweet innocent Marinette stole her ring. After all watching the class at Dupont lose whatever remaining hope in Marinette when Lila cried about Marinette stealing her necklace had been one of the best times in her life.

After the teacher called out that the hour was up, Lila lingered slightly longer then usual, using the excuse of dropping her stuff to watch the chaos. Fleur dropped to the ground and started frantically searching when she noticed the box was gone.

"Fleur, what's wrong?" Lucien asked, looking down at his friend who seemed unconcerned with the fact that she was ruining her designer jeans with the mud she was kneeling in.

"My ring, it's gone. My grandmother gave me that ring when she was dying, it was her engagement ring she wore it everyday, I can't lose it!" Fleur replied, hands desperately grasping for something that wasn't there.

"It's alright Fleur, I'll help you look" Marinette told her, dropping down in the mud beside her friend to help. The others began searching as well, they didn't get down on their knees though, simply searched around the bench for the box.

Eventually the teacher told them to go to class before they were late, assuring a distraught Fleur that he would give the ring back to her if he found it. The promise didn't seem to help, Fleur was still sobbing, looking absolutely heart broken at the idea that she could have lost the ring.

Marinette guided the other girl into the school, making soothing sounds as she rubbed Fleur's back, Noel handing her a tissue and Jean holding one of the girls hands. Charlotte, Lucien, and Jonah watched with frowns on their faces, desperately wishing they could make their friend feel better. Lila followed behind them with a smile and spring to her step, her plan was turning out even better then she expected.

XXX

Lila made sure to kick Marinette's bag over when she made her way to her seat, she threw an insincere apology over her shoulder and then hurried to sit down to watch. Charlotte knelt to help the raven haired girl gather up her belongings.

It was Charlotte who saw the box, grabbing it with an excited smile on her face as she stood back up as Marinette shoved the last of her things into her bag. Charlotte presented the box to Fleur, who took it with a gasp and hugged it to her chest.

"I wouldn't trust something so important around Marinette, she stole my necklace once, she must have stolen your ring" Lila said, both Marinette and Fleur looked at her.

"That's not true! You put that stupid necklace in my locker to get me expelled!" Marinette said, turning to Fleur desperate to prove her innocence.

"Marinette wouldn't do that" Fleur glared at Lila, before looking back at Marinette with a reassuring smile.

"It's alright Mari, I know you wouldn't steal my ring. I'm sure it must have fallen into your bag, or something" she said, looking back at Lila accusingly when she said the words 'Or something' as she put the ring back on her finger.

"I would never steal anything, I'm not a thief" Marinette told her friends, they each gave her reassuring smiles.

"We know that Marinette" Noel said.

"We trust you, you don't need to convince us" Charlotte added, Jean nodding in agreement to his sister's words.

"We know that you wouldn't steal anything from anyone, especially not us" Lucien told her, Fleur gave her a hug and another smile before Marinette took her seat again.

Lila scowled, how had her plan failed?! The ring was found in Marinette's bag, how could they not think that the brat had stolen it? Lila may have failed again, but she wouldn't stop until she turned Marinette's friends against her again and ruined her life.

Marinette deserved it after all, it was all her fault that Lila's parents no longer trusted her, and that she had been expelled from Dupont. It was her fault that Adrien was out of her grasp now, he had been her ticket to fame and power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated this story, I had a horrible bout of writers block and couldn't think of any ideas for months. But I have several new ideas for chapters for this, as well as an idea for the next instalment of 'The Adventures of Marinette Stone'.
> 
> I have a question for everyone, if Marinette ends up with anyone in this series, who do you want it to be? Leave your answers in the comments. Thank you for reading and being so patient with me! Lots of love, and stay safe.


	7. The fox

Anne Monet took her job as Marinette Stone's personal security guard very seriously. Mr. Stone hired her when the girl was thirteen, and while she previously only worked as Marinette's guard during the summers, after the press conference she was reassigned, now guarding the girl every day.

During school, she would walk behind Marinette until she arrived at her classes safely, and then she would take up position outside the door. At the end of the day, she drove the teen home or anywhere else the girl needed or wanted to go.

Anne had noticed a trend with the members of staff that worked closely with Jagged Stone, they all tended to end up caring very deeply for Marinette. The girl was like a walking ray of sunshine, usually happy, and kind and caring to everyone she met.

Anne was a former soldier for the American military, she knew that other people found her very stern, some had even called her cold, but Marinette had blunted some of Anne's edges with the kindness she had shown her from the very start.

XXX

It was Anne's job to protect Marinette from being hurt, while some would say her job was to protect the girl from physical harm, Anne considered it a part of her job to protect the girl from emotional pain as well. Seeing Marinette's usual bright light dimmed, when she had been expelled had broken more hearts than just Jagged Stone's after all. 

It was for this reason that Anne ran background checks on any friends Marinette mentioned; most of them passed with flying colors. Chloe Bougrious had given her pause, the girl was Marinette's former bully, and seemed like she had been an overall brat. But Marinette had assured her father that Chloe had changed, so Anne had let her slide.

Penny knew about the background checks that Anne ran on anyone who was in regular contact with Marinette, and if Penny knew then so did Mr. Stone. The man never said anything about it though, so Anne figured it was fine to continue.

XXX

Anne hadn't liked Lila Rossi from the moment she had first seen her, she reminded Anne of the foxes that used to stalk the grounds of her grandfather's farm around the chicken coup looking for any weakness in the fence they could use in order to get in and run off with some of the poor hens.

Finding out that the girl was the one responsible for Marinette's expulsion and had turned her friends against her, thus causing the sadness and loneliness that had lingered for months in the dark-haired girl's bluebell eyes hadn't helped.

Lila Rossi was like the boy who cried wolf, using stories to gain attention, only her lies never stopped and she didn't learn her lesson. Anne could see the frustration in the girl's eyes every time one of her lies or schemes were called out. Anne hadn't needed to step in to protect her charge yet though, Marinette's friends guarded the girl quite well on their own. 

She still watched the liar closely, Anne had known people like Lila Rossi in the past, and she knew that the girl would eventually snap. Lila Rossi was like a ticking bomb, the time slowly winding down, but with no indication of when it would go off.

Anne only hoped that when that bomb finally did reach zero that she had time protect Marinette from the explosion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I don't have much to say, just to keep leaving your thoughts of who you think Marinette should end up with in the comments!


	8. The health inspector

Lila smirked as she ended the call, the plan was a stroke of genius, but then again, she had come up with it so it wasn't a surprise. And the best part was that Maribrat wouldn't even be able to trace it back to her.

XXX

When Marinette arrived at school one Tuesday in December, she looked stressed and worried, there were dark circles under her normally bright eyes and her pigtails were a mess and looked like she had just pulled them back without running a brush through her hair.

"You okay Mari?" Lucien asked, eyebrows raised in concern.

"Not really, the health inspector is coming to the bakery today, they got an anonymous tip that there were roaches and mice in the kitchen. My Auntie Sabine and Uncle Tom keep the bakery spotless, but even a lie can ruin the bakery's reputation and hurt the business" Marinette replied, her shoulders slumping.

"It'll be alright, the inspector will come, see that there isn't anything wrong and leave" Charlotte assured her, Jean nodded in agreement from his place beside his sister.

"Come, let me fix your hair for you" Fleur said, Marinette nodded and followed the other girl to the restroom, leaving the rest of their friends behind.

"I have a guess who the anonymous caller was" Lucien growled once the two were out of hearing range.

"Of course, it was her, but we can't exactly prove it so it's best not to say anything to Mari," Charlotte added.

"She probably already had that thought herself," Noel pointed out.

"Something has to be done about that weasel," Jonah said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"There isn't much we can do for now, except keep an eye on her" Charlotte told him.

"She's hurting our friend!" Lucien replied, his voice a few octaves higher the usual.

"I know that and I don't like it anymore then you do" Charlotte responded.

"You need to calm down Luce, if Marinette comes back to find you upset, she'll only be more concerned than she already is" Noel said, Lucien closed his eyes as he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

Fleur and Marinette returned shortly after, the dark-haired girls pigtails looking much better than they had, though the dark circles and worried look remained. The group smiled at Marinette reassuringly before they all made their way into the building.


	9. The Rumor

Anne guided Marinette through the crowd of reporters gathered in front of the bakery, the business was closed for the third day in a row. Marinette had stayed home for the previous two days, but decided not to let the current situation affect her normal life more than it already had.

The school had its own security and neither Anne nor Marinette's friends would allow reporters or anyone else to ask the girl any invasive questions.

"No comment" Anne growled shoving past one particular pushy reporter, her hand on Marinette's shoulder. The girl kept her head down, not saying a word.

XXX

Marinette's friends were waiting for her inside the entrance to the school, the group gathered her into a hug immediately. Some of the tension faded from the dark-haired girls shoulders and she smiled at her friends when the let her go.

The stress was still clear in her eyes but being with her friends seemed to help slightly, their unwavering support and love helped Marinette to stay strong.

XXX

Jagged glared at the reporter that shoved a microphone into his face, he usually tried to remain patient with reporters, but he had been dealing with a large amount of them for the last three days and his patience was wearing thin.

Penny, being the wonderful woman and assistant that she was noticed and had taken over dealing with them for a little while.

Jagged had been angry when the rumor first surfaced, but now he was absolutely furious. Someone had contacted several news outlets and blogs, claiming that Jagged and Sabine had had an affair and that Sabine was Marinette's biological mother.

It didn't take long for people to mention the fact that Sabine had already been in her twenties and married when Marinette was born, while Jagged had only been eighteen and would have been seventeen when she was conceived.

Of course, more rumors had started when that one had begun to die down, rumors that Tom and Sabine wouldn't allow Jagged to see Marinette unless he gave them money. Rumors that Jagged wasn't actually Marinette's father.

The rumors made him furious, and he hated the fact that Tom, Sabine, and Marinette were being affected by them. Jagged wasn't a stranger to rumors and lies, it came with the territory of being famous, he had learned to deal with them. But now his family had to deal with it as well, and there was little that he could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the last few chapters have been so short, I hope that the next chapters will be longer. I'm going to take a brief break from this story to prewrite a few chapters so hopefully the next few instalments after that will be posted quicker. I'm not abandoning this story or this series, just please bear with me.


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